The invention relates to electrically propelled vehicles, the battery of which is accommodated by a battery box which is arranged in the rear of the vehicle and under the floor thereof. These may be either vehicles having a purely electric drive or else having a hybrid electric drive (internal combustion engine and electric engine which can also operate as a generator). Both have storage batteries (for short: batteries) which are considerably larger and heavier than those in motor vehicles propelled only by an internal combustion engine.
Such batteries take up a large amount of construction space, their momentum caused by their mass in the event of a collision may put the passengers at risk and their content is often chemically aggressive, and therefore they also have to be protected from damage. In addition, the high-power batteries used generally require comprehensive auxiliary equipment (fans, coolant pumps and electronics) which causes noise and has to be accessible for maintenance purposes. Furthermore, the vehicle trunk is to be restricted as little as possible and is to have a flat loading floor.
A vehicle of the type in question is known from DE 25 22 844. The battery is accommodated there in a trough which is suspended in front of the rear axle and below the closed floor panel by means of flanges. The front flange hangs in an angle rail which is welded to a section of the longitudinal sills, which section runs obliquely forward and downward, in such a manner that it forms a predetermined breaking point. As a result, in the event of a head-on collision, the trough is pushed downward at its front edge and is thus deflected from the interior of the vehicle. However, the battery is not protected against a rear collision (a rear-end collision in which the vehicle is rammed from behind).
It is an object of the invention to accommodate and fasten the battery in a vehicle of the type in question in such a manner that it is protected both against head-on collisions and against rear collisions and, what is more, restricts the loading space as little as possible and is accessible.